Explore the best alternatives to DOCX for sharing formatted text files. Learn about PDF, TXT, HTML, RTF, and ODT formats.
In this guide I tell you everything about one of the most well-known and used formats for text documents. I am convinced that at some point a DOCX file has passed through your hands . But what exactly is it and what is it for? How does the default Word file work? Are there alternatives? In this guide I answer these and other common questions about this format.
Index of contents
- What is a DOCX file?
- What is inside a DOCX file?
- Alternatives to DOCX: all the ways to share formatted text files
- ODT
- PAGES
- GDOC
- RTF
- D.
- TXT
What is a DOCX file?
The DOCX extension is used in processed text files . It is an evolution of the old DOC format, typical of Microsoft Word. Currently, and for quite some time now, this file is compatible with a multitude of programs, so you can work with it even if you use one of the alternatives to Office that are available on the market.
Despite being a proprietary file, as has happened with other formats, DOCX has become a standard that users use to share documents. Thanks to the openness of the specifications of its predecessor, the DOC, there are many applications that support it. The best thing is that they do it with outstanding compatibility.
And why did the change from DOC to DOCX occur? Well, the fact that open alternatives to Microsoft’s own format for processed text documents appeared meant that the company had to adjust its file typology. In this way, the DOC was adapted to the Office Open XML standard and, because of this, an X, for XML, was added to the end of all Office files.
What is inside a DOCX file?
In essence, a DOCX file is a compressed folder that includes various elements inside .
Word is the application that creates DOCX files by default, although many others are compatible with the format
Without wishing to complicate things too much, essentially within a Word file there are some of the following items:
- xml: Includes the main content of the document, with a main section called body , as well as other blocks, such as headings or paragraphs. Comments or tables are also housed here.
- xml: In this case, this is a file that formats the text. Therefore, it includes the style of each element. Here you define the headings and the style that follows throughout the document. If we were to make a comparison with HTML files, this would be like a kind of CSS.
- xml: In this case, it is a file that defines the style of numbered lists.
It is possible that the content of a DOCX varies depending on the type of document that has been created, but in general terms its operating pattern is very simple: it groups together various XML files that are responsible for saving and styling the elements inserted in the document .
Alternatives to DOCX: all the ways to share formatted text files
DOCX is not the only format on the market that allows you to send text documents to other users. In fact, there is a wide variety of programs that handle this type of files, including both those that support the format and those that do not.
Let’s look at some (partially) DOCX equivalent formats that you should know about . By extension, I also tell you about some solid alternatives to Microsoft Word.
ODT
The OpenDocument text document format (ODT) is an open source alternative to the proprietary DOCX format. It offers cross-platform compatibility and is widely used in open source office software such as LibreOffice and OpenOffice.
Portable Document Format (PDF) is a widely used file standard for presenting documents independently of software, hardware, or operating system.
It is ideal for sharing documents that require maintaining their original format and avoiding unwanted modifications. In fact, editing a PDF is a much more complex task than changing something in a DOCX, since many of its elements are, in fact, images and inserted blocks.
PAGES
The PAGES file format is Apple-specific and is commonly used in the Pages word processing software. It is a quite interesting alternative, although with some quite notable drawbacks:
- Pages only works on Apple devices. On Windows, you will only be able to edit them through the browser.
- It is a poorly standardized file. Therefore, when converting to DOCX, some elements are altered or disappear. Without going any further, it is not compatible with Word headers, which in turn are equivalent to those used in HTML.
- They are very heavy files. Even if no images are added, the PAGES files are disproportionately large.
GDOC
GDOC files are seen in Windows when Drive syncs Google Docs. But the truth is that they are nothing more than a direct access to the file in the cloud
GDOC refers to documents created and stored in Google Docs, a cloud-based service. It offers real-time collaboration, secure storage and access from any internet-connected device. Importantly, the GDOC file works as a shortcut to the Internet . That means that there is actually nothing inside. Rather, it’s Google Drive’s way of displaying Google Docs in Windows or macOS Explorer.
RTF
Rich Text Format (RTF) is a file format that supports rich text, including font formats, size, color, and other text attributes. It is compatible with a wide variety of word processing applications and is useful when a basic but more advanced document format than TXT is needed.
M.D.
Markdown (MD) is a plain text format that allows text to be formatted using a set of markup rules. It is popular among writers and developers for its simplicity and readability in plain text files. MD is commonly used for writing documentation, blogs, and configuration files.
TXT
Finally, the TXT file format stores data as plain text , without styling or other attributes. It is the most basic and universal format for text documents, compatible with any text editor. It is widely used to store simple, unformatted information such as notes, lists, and code scripts. On Windows, it opens with Notepad .
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